§ Mr. Primrosesaid, he rose to present six petitions to the House, all intimately connected with the 117 important question fixed for to-morrow. Two of the petitions prayed, in conformity with the petitions from the greater proportion of the royal burghs of Scotland, for that adequate and general reform which was necessary to remove the abuses now notoriously in operation. These two petitions were from the provost and magistracy of the burgh of Stirling, in which they beg to call the attention of the House to the constitution of their own burgh, in order to afford an illustration of the benefits arising from the annual election of the magistrates, by a poll of the burgesses. The only remedy they proposed for these abuses was, to give those who were interested in the expenditure of the burghs, a control by annual elections of the magistrates. Stirling and Montrose were, however, the only places in Scotland where that salutary system was in operation, and its benefits were in those two burghs strongly exemplified. Three other petitions were from the different incorporations or guildrys of Stirling, and they prayed that the bill introduced by the lord advocate might not pass into a law; but at all events that the burgh of Stirling might not be comprehended within its operation. The sixth and last petition was from the burgh of Minto, with a similar prayer. He could not sit down without repelling the insinuation that had been made within the walls of the House, relative to the character and influence of the burgesses of Scotland. From his own knowledge, together with the information he had obtained from the most respectable sources, he took upon himself to say, that, in their respective places, they were the first persons in consequence, property, and consideration.
§ The petitions were ordered to lie on the table.